A shortage of pilots - no. A shortage of experienced, sane, personable, professional, well-qualified, with a clean record who you'd want to hire pilots - absolutely. It's just starting to crank up. Fit into what I just described and you cannot help but to succeed in this business.

Completely agreed. The old Captains I respect greatly are the ones telling me about a shortage. Can't it be that seemingly credible sources are being fed garbage by non-credible sources? The Airlines and ALPA are completely full of it.

I too have been in the trenches for the last few years, and I've seen nothing but a massive surplus of pilots willing to undercut each other and slit each other's throats for job.

Really? Where? Can you be more specific? What group of Pilot's are you referring to when you say this? No flame bait, just curious where you are getting your info.

United hasn't cold called me yet....shortage?

Your on the "short" list.

I dunno....

I've talked to American and Skywest and both said they will be hiring in the coming months. This will certainly be the 1st time American would be hiring in a LONG time.

Possible, but population growth will not translate automatically to economic growth unless that population is equipped to participate in an industrial society. more poverty and ignorance is not going to translate to ticket sales.

I suspect that most growth in demand for air travel will occur in Asia, and that's not a big leap of imagination.

OMG you guys, there is most certainly a need for hiring into the majors and shortage at the bottom end will occur. If you are qualified as few have said here, get to a regional, upgrades will accelerate and because all the regional pilots mentioned will have to fill the seats at the big three or 4. retirements will occur. For every retirement there are two out on medical. reserve rest rules etc. Delta peaks out at 800 retirements per year in three or four years, the other 400-600 per year, all ifs, but if the airlines stay the same size, the replacements have to come from the regionals and few mil guy/gals. reserve at a major, no likely, hired into a wide body like 2005-6 at CAL and DAL possible. The numbers are here, anyone can do the math.

Someone mentioned don't be in a hurry...what? Be i a hurry. Get that 1500 hours and get on the list, 1500 hour thing is gonna take time unlike the past of getting hired with 350 hours to fly an RJ.

It'll be a frenzy, older major guys are out of the loop and most don't know what it's like to get hired these days, airlines really haven't hired,

I say don't hesitate and go for it, get your time and degree all lined up for some quick movement.

would I tell my son or daughter to get into the business, NO, but if you are headed that way, don't delay.

I am not selling anything just optimistic for an older person not thinking there is an opportunity, compared to some here that treat this issue like global warming, this will actually happen.

Good luck to those that want this!!

The majors should be well off for a very long time. Any pilot who works for a major that I have talked to says that a possible shortage is a joke that the media uses to fill their time with.

With that being said, across the country their are fewer and fewer people getting their commercial certificates, let alone an ATP or instructor ratings to build time. AOPA is reporting that student pilot dropout rates are nearing 80%. That statistic cannot be ignored. People can be skeptical about the next 10-15 years of hiring at the majors, but sooner or later the lack of new pilots and the horrible pilot retention rate will catch up to us.

So, when UAL was recruiting pilots in High School, and hiring those with a HS Diploma and a PPL....that was NOT a pilot shortage???